This newsletter was originally published on March 14, 2016. 

Report: Michigan Home to More than 87,000 Clean Energy Jobs

More than 87,000 work in Michigan’s clean energy industry, according to a comprehensive analysis unveiled yesterday by Michigan EIBC and Clean Energy Trust. The report finds that Michigan leads the 11-state Midwest region in clean energy vehicle jobs, is second in renewable energy jobs, and is third in overall clean energy jobs.

The analysis – available at www.CleanJobsMidwest.com – is based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and a comprehensive survey of thousands of businesses across Michigan and the region. The Clean Jobs Midwest report provides detailed breakdowns of clean energy jobs not available previously – including job totals for every county in Michigan.

According to the report, energy efficiency is the largest clean-energy-sector employer in the state, with more than 47,000 workers employed in areas like high-efficiency lighting, Energy Star appliance manufacturing and high-efficiency HVAC services to reduce wasted energy in homes, schools and businesses. The report also found that small businesses drive clean energy in Michigan, with more that 77 percent of clean energy businesses employing fewer than 25 employees. For renewable energy jobs, Michigan is second in the Midwest with more than 19,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs.

With more than 87,000 jobs in Michigan’s clean energy sector, this is not the time to reverse course and roll back the successful policies that have helped spur the growth of this industry. Michigan EIBC will continue to represent our business members to ensure that the business voice of advanced energy continues to be heard in Lansing.

 

Add Your Voice to Support Clean Energy Innovation Investment

Michigan EIBC is partnering with the PEW Charitable Trusts’ Clean Energy Business Network in urging Congress to support Mission Innovation, an international commitment to double public sector funding for clean energy research and development over the next five years. Specifically, adding your support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2017 budget request for clean energy R&D – which includes $2.9 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), $350 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (arpa-e), $1.9 billion for Basic Energy Sciences, and $262 million for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability – is a critical step in helping to ensure that the next wave of advanced technologies are created in the U.S. 

Take action today! Click here to send your Member of Congress and U.S. Senators a letter in support of advanced energy innovation investment.

 

Michigan Energy News

A set of talking points sent to Governor Snyder from former press secretary Dave Murray note that “The media has finally figured out the 30 percent [clean energy] goal by 2025 from your energy message that made it into legislation doesn’t actually involve building any more renewables.” The talking points were included in an email released by the Governor’s office in connection to the Flint water crisis. Michigan EIBC has been arguing for months that the 30 percent goal included in the House legislation would not encourage additional renewable energy deployment, and continues to push for the certainty that comes from extending our successful RPS.

DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are pairing up to launch the Michigan Energy Workforce Development Consortium (MEWDC), an effort to include an energy curriculum into classes at ten Michigan community colleges. The Michigan Department of Education approved the MEWDC curriculum last week.

The Institute for Energy Innovation’s Solarize Michigan initiative wrapped up a series of five community workshops to highlight the advantages of going solar in the Great Lakes Bay region.

Michigan EIBC Board member Bruce Goodman, an attorney with Varnum Law Firm, talked about electric competition as part of the Greening of the Great Lakes program. Meanwhile, a new poll from Americans for Prosperity shows two-thirds of Michigan residents support greater access to electric choice.

 

National Energy News

JP Morgan Chase announced last week it would no longer finance coal-fired power plants in the U.S. or other wealthy nations. The decision follows similar moves from a number of other large banks, including Bank of America, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley.

Hawaii utilities are pushing integration of solar and energy storage to meet the Aloha State’s 100% renewable energy target.

A number of utilities across the country are working to develop community solar projects.

 

Michigan Events

The Engineering Society of Detroit – together with DTE Energy – is hosting its annual Energy Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
 
The 4th Annual Michigan EIBC Members Meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 4 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. Registration is available here; contact Nicole Forward for sponsorship information.
 
The 2016 Michigan CHP Conference will be held Tuesday, May 10 at Oakland University in Rochester. The theme for this year’s conference is “Moving to Clean Energy with Combined Heat and Power: Matching CHP Customers to Suppliers.”
 

National Events
AWEA’s annual WINDPOWER event will take place May 23-26 in New Orleans.
 
Intersolar North America will take place July 12-14 in San Francisco.
 
Solar Power International is scheduled for September 12-15 in Las Vegas.
 
The Battery Show, collocated with the Critical Power Expo and Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo, will be held in Novi from September 13-15.

Additional Resources
 
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is home to PowerSuite, a suite of tools that allows companies a one-stop on-line portal to search, track, and collaborate on state legislation and regulatory proceedings from around the country.
 
PowerSuite includes both BillBoard, the AEE dashboard for managing state legislation, and DocketDash, the AEE dashboard for managing state public utility commission proceedings. Subscription required.
 
SolarPermit.org is a national solar permitting database that provides information on permitting for solar in jurisdictions across the country. The database includes a variety of information, from average permit turnaround times, to information required to be included in the permit, to contact information for individual jurisdictions. You can browse the requirements for the Michigan cities included in the database here.
 
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering A Guide to Federal Finance Facilities Available for Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Clean Energy Deployment. The downloadable guide provides information about the various federal financing programs available for energy efficiency and renewable energy — making it easier for state, local and tribal leaders, along with their partners in the private sector, to find capital for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
 
The Department of Energy has offers free public access to accepted peer-reviewed manuscripts or published scientific journal articles from projects funded by the DOE within 12 months of publication.